Vehicle road sander



m 18, 1956 R. G. KELLNER 2,763,52

VEHICLE ROAD SANDER Filed June 10, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l -r INVENTOR. m 6% I m m Radzwdfi I I I 2 a 4 11 TTORNE Y5,

Sept 1, 1956 R. G. KELLNER VEHICLE ROAD SANDER 2 Sheets-Sheet ,2

Filed June 10, 1953 I N VE NTOR.

'ATTORNEYJ,

United States atent VEHICLE ROAD SANDER Richard G. Kellner, Delmar, N. Y., assignor to Consolidated Metal Products Corp., a corporation of New York Application June 10, 1953, Serial No. 360,649 9 Claims. (Cl. 291-25) This invention is for a device for storing, dispensing and distributing finely divided abrasive materials in the path of the driving wheels of a vehicle for the purpose of improving their traction.

One object of this invention is to provide a compact structurally simple mechanism for storing grit-like substances in a finely divided state and for dispensing them from storage and distributing them under the control of the vehicle operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motive device controlled by the vehicle operator for dispensing finely divided abrasive materials such as sand for example, as required under diflicult traction conditions.

Another objects of the invention is to provide a structurally rugged mechanism of this kind which will be reliable in operation under conditions encountered in the ordinary operation of automobiles, for example.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a mechanism of this type, means for insuring correct distribution of the abrasive material in the path of the driving wheels.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the embodiment thereof illustrated in the attached drawings.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical elevational view of the device, showing in a diagrammatic way its association with the rear or driving wheels of an automobile by way of example;

Figure 2 is a view partly in plan and partly in crosssection on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevational view with parts in section and parts broken away of the feeding mechanism for the abrasives;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing parts broken away and in part in exploded relation to further illustrate the construction of the driving mechanism; and

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

The general purpose of this invention is to provide a simple device in which a finely divided grit-like substance such as sand, for example, may be stored and from which it may be dispensed as required for improving vehicle traction. Broadly speaking, the device includes a motor driven vibrating mechanism for causing the distributing channels which carry the grit like substance from the storage container to the point of distribution to have a controlled feeding movement.

In accordance with this invention these distributing channels are given orbital movements in a vertical plane consisting of oval or elliptical paths having their major axes of movement substantially parallel to the axes of the distributing channels. The device includes discharge nozzles or tubes positioned in advance of the vertical centerline of the driving wheels so as to distribute the abrasive material at an advance point in the path of the driving wheels.

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As the device of this invention has special applicability to automobiles, there has been diagrammatically illustrated in several of the views the rear trunk body portion B of the vehicle, closed at the bottom with the rear deck or platform P. Diagrammatically associated with this portion of the vehicle are the fenders F in which the upper portions of the wheels are enclosed as usual.

The device itself in is termed the rear trunk cavity 10 of the vehicle, it being understood, of course, that the mechanism may be mounted in any suitable place on the vehicle body. Attached in the compartment 10 on the platform P is a vertical bracket 11 of any suitable construction, on the upper end of which is mounted a container or box 12 of suitable material and size, provided with a removable cover 13. Mount-ed in the bottom wall of the box is a pair of down spouts 14 and 15 arranged in slightly divergent relation, as shown in Figure 3, to provide room for the attachment at one end of the flexible tubular elbows 16 and 17. Secured in the other ends of these elbows is a pair of rigid pipes or tubes 18 and 19, which may be thin walled metal pipes of suitable material.

The pipes 18 and 19 pass through suitably positioned apertures in the fenders F, as illustrated in Figure l, and are preferably mounted in flexible supporting discs or grommets 20 and 21. These grommets, for example, may be discs of rubber having peripherial flanges or beads by means of which they can be snapped into suitably sized apertures in the fenders. Any other construction suitable for the purpose by means of which the outer ends of the pipes 18 and 19 may be movably supported can be used. The diaphragms of these grommets are thin and flexible so as to offer very little resistance to the feeding movements of the pipes 18 and 19 While normally positioning and supporting them out of contact with the vehicle body and fender. Mounted on the respective ends of the pipes 18 and 19 are the nozzles 22 and 23 which are preferably of a flexible material. These end tubes are preferably of sufficient flexibility so that their discharge ends may have relative vibratory movement with respect to the tubes but imparted thereto by the movement of the tubes.

Mounted on the rear face of the standard 11 below the container 12 is an electric motor which in this case is of the rotary type having its armature shaft 25 projecting through the standard and provided with an eccentric cam cylinder 26 secured thereon in any suitable manner and by means of a set screw, see Figure 4. The cam cylinder is positioned within a U-shaped follower 27 which has a groove extending horizontally across the front face thereof. A central medial portion of a wire 28 is clamped in the groove by means of a machine screw and washer 34. A pair of brackets 31 are secured to the front face of the standard 11 and have mounted in them a pair of tubes 29 and 30 through which the oppositely extending ends of the wire 28 pass. The ends of these wires are secured in clamps 32 and 33 attached to the pipes 18 and 19 respectively at points just beyond their connection with the flexible elbows 16 and 17.

In use the container 12 is filled with the grit-like substance to be used which because of its cheapness may be sand of suitable characteristics. This sand will naturally fall by gravity through the down spouts 14 and 15 and through the flexible elbows 16 and 17 into the pipes 18 and 19. Since these pipes may be disposed in a hori zontal plane or arranged to be at a very small angle to the horizontal, as illustrated in Figure 2, the sand will not travel very far into the tubes 18 and 19 when the mechanism is at rest.

In order to distribute the sand in front of the driving wheels the operator, as requirements dictate, energizes the motor 24 by means of a suitable control, not shown.

Patented Sept. 18, 1956' major part is enclosed within What Energization of the motor causes rotation of the eccentric cam cylinder 26, imparting a to and fro horizontal movement to the cam follower 27, and hence to the wire 28. As the ends of the wire are connected to the tubes 18 andv 19 at points radially displaced from the axisof the tubes 18 and 19, as clearly shown in Figure 24-, itwill be; apparent that this oscillatory movement of the Wire 28- will impart an oval or elliptical movement to the pipes 18 and 19' in a vertical plane. The major axis of these movements will be parallel to the axis of the tubes 18 and 19, and such movement is permitted by reason of the flexibletelbow connection 16 and 17 and the flexible supports, for the outer ends of the pipes provided by the diaphragrns of the grommets 20 and 21.

As a result sand will be caused to travel through the tubes 18 and 19 and into the discharge pieces 22 and 23. Thesemovements will cause the flexible ends of the discharge pieces 22. and 23' to vibrate and cause the issuing sandv to. be distributed over the area of what is about to become the traction path of the driving wheels W.

The orbital. movement of the distributing tubes 18 and 19. in a vertical plane will insure proper feeding of the sand; and distribution of it in the path of the driving wheels. As the sand feeds along the tubes it will be replaced by gravity from the container 12 to provide a continuous feed while the device is in operation.

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the principles of this invention can be embodied in mechanisms ofother physical form, and I do not, therefore, desire limitation to the specific example herein illustrated, but seek protection. as represented by the appended claims, including protection for mechanisms which are functionally equivalent to those defined thereby.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a vehicle having a pair of driving Wheels, of a sanding device mounted on said vehicle comprising a container, a pair of ducts flexibly connected to said container so as to receive its contents by gravity, means on said vehicle body for flexibly supporting the free ends of said ducts in the path of said wheels, and, means for imparting longitudinal and vertical components of movement to said ducts.

2. In the combination of claim 1, said means for flexibly connecting said ducts to said container comprising flexible tubes.

3. In the combination of claim 1, said means for flexibly supporting the free ends of said tubes comprising resilient grommets mounted in adjacent portions of the vehicle body.

4. In the combination of claim 1, said motion imparting means comprising a motive device and a connector means secured to said ducts and operated by said motive device.

5. In the combination of claim 1, said motion imparting means comprising a motive device and a connector means secured to said ducts and operated by said motive device, including a wire attached at its respectiveends to said ducts and a cam follower reciprocated by said motive device on the axis of said wire.

6. In the combination of claim 1, flexible tubular nozzles attached to the ends of said ducts so as to lie substantially horizontal to augment the discharge of sand therefrom.

7. In the combination of claim 1, said ducts lying substantially in a horizontal plane positioned below said container, and said flexible connections for said ducts comprising flexible tubular elbows.

8. In a device of the type described, the combination comprising a standard, a supply container mounted on said standard having a pair of down spouts, tubular flexible elbows attached at the respective ends to said down spouts, rigid tubes each attached at their respective ends to the other ends of said elbows, a motive device mounted on said standard, means connected to said rigid pipes and driven by said motive device to impart elliptical movement in a vertical plane to said rigid pipes, and means for flexibly supporting said pipes adjacent their outer ends.

9. In a device of the type described, the combinationcomprising a standard, a supply container mounted on said standard having a pair of down spouts, tubular flexible elbows attached at the respective ends to. said down spouts, rigid tubes each. attached attheir respective ends to the other ends of said elbows, a motive device mounted on said standard, means connected to. said rigid pipes and driven by said motive device to impart elliptical movement in a vertical plane to said rigid pipes, means for flexibly supporting said pipes adjacent their outer ends, and flexible discharge nozzles mounted on the ends of said pipes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,137,917 Lintern Nov. 22, 1938 

